The U.S. Department of the Interior has awarded a $682,631 contract to Virginia-based Persimmon Grove LLC to repair equipment at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, bringing the total repair costs for the troubled renovation to more than $15 million.
The contract, signed on September 10, covers maintenance and repairs to pumps and compressors, with work scheduled to conclude by October 15. This follows the $14.7 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool ahead of July Fourth celebrations, which was completed by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings under a no-bid contract.
Contractor Admits Renovation Errors Caused Damage
Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the firm hired to repaint the pool in American flag blue, has acknowledged that design and execution flaws in its work led to widespread damage. According to government documents reviewed by The New York Times, the contractor found that workers failed to apply sufficient primer in some areas and used chemically incompatible materials in the liner. This caused bubbling, peeling, and blistering within weeks of the renovation’s completion.
Trump Initially Blamed Vandals; Federal Cases Dropped
President Donald Trump attributed the damage to vandalism, claiming individuals had entered the pool to slash the liner with knives or box cutters. Federal prosecutors pursued charges against several people, but the Justice Department dropped all cases in July after determining that renovation errors, not vandalism, were responsible. The Interior Department has since maintained that vandalism occurred while assigning responsibility for repairs to the contractor.
Ongoing Issues and Additional Repairs
The Reflecting Pool has faced persistent problems since the rushed renovation, including algae growth and liner detachment. The latest contract with Persimmon Grove LLC is part of broader efforts to address these issues, which have extended beyond the Reflecting Pool to adjacent areas like Constitution Gardens Lake, which was drained ahead of July Fourth celebrations.
The Interior Department has not responded to requests for comment on the new contract or the ongoing repair timeline.